Follow Your Feet
by TheaLuthor
Summary: Ok, I loved the first three books of the Dune saga, but there was just too little of Ghani and Farad'n in there!  Here's my indulgence of how they got along.  Story more complex than this pitiful summary, I promise. Rated M, to be safe.
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes: **Hola! I will try to keep this relatively short, but it has already gotten quite out of hand. Hope you enjoy and reviews (both good and bad!) are always appreciated!!! Oh, yes, inner dialog appears in _italics_…

**Disclaimer:** Duh, I don't own anything.

**Prologue**

She stood in his bedchamber and watched as he shoved things (clothes, books, etc) into a soft leather duffle bag.

"Where are you going?" she asked impatiently.

"Out onto the sands," he replied without looking at her or stopping his packing.

"How long will you be gone?" She felt as though she were interrogating him.

"One standard month," he replied, again without ceasing his activity.

"And what exactly are you going to do, out on the sand, for a month?"

This time he did pause. He resisted his first impulse, which was to ask her why she cared. He slowly turned to face her, still holding a shirt in his hands. Finally he drew his eyes up to look her in the eyes.

"His Imperial Majesty has given me a position within his court, which means that I will be residing here. Since I don't know how to survive here, Stilgar has been 'kind' enough to offer hospitality and to train me in Fremen survival skills…" He paused again, cocked his head slightly to the side and looked off into the distance, "One month really isn't long enough. I wish he had made it three." He returned his eyes to her face and held them there, forcing himself to remember every pore of her skin. _Would she change very much in one month?_

As she returned his stare, Ghani was doing the same thing. He was very healthy, she mused, but rather soft, even considering the training he had received from the Sardaukar. He would most likely never be a warrior, although eventually he would be able to defend himself. Leto was wise in making him a scribe. Farad'n, or Harq Al-Ada, or whatever you were supposed to call him now, would return from the desert leaner, harder, and with rougher edges. For some reason, she was particularly interested to see him when he came back.

"You will have an excellent time in the seitches with Stilgar," she remarked at last. "And he's very good at training off-worlders. He's the one who taught my father." She let that hang, almost sorry she had said it.

Farad'n used her distraction to his advantage. Before she realized what he was planning and before she could stab him, he closed the distance between them and placed a kiss on her cheek. As he pulled back, he inhaled deeply, trying to get a bit of her scent for his brain to register. In the next second he was gone, nothing but a rustle of cape in the hall. Ghani remained, holding her hand to a cheek that still felt warm from his lips.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **As the prologue was so short, I decided I would put this chapter in as well. Enjoy! And look for updates every few days!

**Chapter 1**

Many things happened in the month that he was gone. Extremely shortly after he departed, the entire Imperium was shocked by the news that his eminence, the Emperor Leto Atreides, had married his holy twin sister, Ghanima. While some may have debated it in the sanctuary of their homes, none dared disparage the act in public, having already witnessed or heard rumors of the Emperor's ruthlessness. To official ears, everyone stated that their ruler had a reason for doing everything, and they would trust his decisions.

Her royal highness, the Empress, spent the month being fitted for new dresses, meditating with her Bene Gesserit advisor, the Lady Irulan, attending court with her brother/husband, and holding audiences of her own. A pattern developed in which Ghani would rule whenever her brother was away in the wilderness, communing with nature.

What few knew, including, hopefully, the Emperor himself, was that Ghani also spent a good amount of time training and practicing her fighting techniques. The whole situation she found herself in made her uneasy. As she had no idea from where attacks might come, she wanted to be as prepared as possible.

Leto had been gone twice during that month. For the first time in their lives, Ghani had no clue what thoughts were swirling around in her brother's head. It frightened her; HE frightened her. She felt very alone and, strangely, was looking forward to Farad'n's return.

At dawn, he walked into the palace in Arakeen, without pomp, without notice. He listened to the echoes of his footsteps as he made his way down the hall towards what had originally been assigned to him as his rooms. Farad'n only hoped that his belongings would still be there when he arrived.

He felt out of place. Where did he belong? Should he return to Salusa Secondus, to listen to his mother's never-ending plotting? Should he travel to Kaitan and try to form a counter-Imperial government? Or should he stay on Arrakis?

And staying on Dune yielded only more questions…

The boy that had been groomed to be Emperor was gone. Now only Farad'n/Harq Al-Ada remained. Trouble was, he didn't know that person. The retreat in the desert had done him some good. He felt more self-sure and prouder than he ever had before.

But now his desert life was gone.

He was back in his uncertain place in the palace; back with Leto and Ghani. Bittersweet memories filled him as he thought of the time when he had wished to know them, to discuss life under a regent with them. But the Leto and Ghani he now knew were vastly different creatures.

Leto was dangerous. Farad'n would have to protect himself as he never had before, and it made his stomach ache. He couldn't forget the ambiguous warning that Leto had given him. "…when you look at my sister, your back is exposed…."

Ghani was another mystery. Beautiful, of course, but deep. Her marriage to her brother had taken place. Leto had told Farad'n that himself when he traveled to Seitch Tabr. The nuptials were one of the reasons Farad'n had been so eager to leave. The possessive part of him still bristled at the fact that Ghanima _should_ have been his, and yet she had been given to another.

He wished he had someone to talk to. He hoped that Jessica was still in the fortress. He would welcome her counsel.

As he pushed the cloth hangings out of his way in the doorway, he was shocked at what he beheld. Ghani lay on his bed, fast asleep. _Perhaps he was in the wrong room? No, all of his things were still strewn about._

He sat on the edge of the bed as softly as he could. He made sure to place one hand on the hilt of his knife as he reached over to wake her.

"Ghanima, wake up." He felt her start, but she didn't open her eyes. He realized she was trying to place the voice. "Ghani, it's Farad'n."

Now she did open her eyes, slowly. She rolled onto her back and stretched, then sat up to face him.

"Why are you sleeping in my bed?" he asked now that she was awake.

"Because it's the last place anyone would look for me."

"What…"

"Don't worry about it now," she interrupted. "I'll explain later." She looked around. "Well, you're back. I'll have to find somewhere else to sleep." She slid off the bed and walked away without another word.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Farrad'n didn't get the opportunity to question Ghanima about her behavior for several days. He saw her, twice daily, during Imperial audiences, first those that she held with her brother, and later those she held on her own. But she never allowed herself to be alone with him.

Finding her alone occurred quite by accident. He had taken to exploring the fortress in the afternoons, to try to map out the maze for himself. One day, as he walked down yet another unfamiliar hallway, he heard the sounds of fighting. He rushed forward, uncertain what he would do, but curious nonetheless.

He stopped in an open doorway. Inside the large, empty room, Ghanima was engaged in furious shadow boxing. Occasionally, sunlight glinted off her hand; he realized that she also held a knife.

Suddenly she grew very still, standing with her back to him.

"How long have you been watching me?" she asked without emotion.

It took him several seconds to answer. He was distracted trying to figure out where her knife had gone.

"I was walking down the hall and…"

"Why were you walking down _this_ hallway, Farrad'n?" she sounded angry.

"Because I had never been here before. I'm trying to learn my way around. I didn't realize that this part of the palace was your personal space. I apologize."

She sighed and turned around. "It isn't my personal space," the knife was in her hand. She walked toward the corner, where a towel and a billowy shirt lay on the floor. "Are you spying on me?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because this is the second time you've found me when I thought I was alone."

"The first time, I found _you_ in _my_ bed. This time is just a happy coincidence."

"Then there's the fact that you keep watching me during the public audiences."

His eyes shifted to the side. He hadn't realized he'd been that obvious. "I've been looking for clues to explain your behavior. As you haven't allowed yourself to be in my presence to talk, all I can do is watch."

Ghani looked down. The tension built.

"I didn't kill him, Ghani." Her eyes flew to his face, surprised. "I'm not responsible for Leto's death."

"I know that. He's alive even now, in some room in this manse."

"Then what is it? Do you just not like me?"

"It's…complicated," she replied, turning around. She sat on the floor, looking exhausted. He sat facing her, unwilling to allow her to get away this time.

"Why don't we start again?" he held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lady. My name is Harq Al-ada, Imperial Scribe. And you are?" She smiled a little.

"Ghanima Atreides," she placed her hand in his and smiled a little more.

"That's a lovely name. And so exotic. Does it have a special meaning?" Farrad'n continued to draw her out with non-threatening polite conversation. Eventually she became more comfortable and began asking him deeper questions. Minutes turned to hours and when they were interrupted by the sound of Farrad'n's stomach growling, they realized that the sun had gone down. While he did not yet have the answers he sought, Farrad'n learned a great deal about Ghani that day, as she learned about him.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Now, what are you supposed to say?" she asked.

"May your knife chip and shatter."

"Very good. Alright, attack me."

"The Fremen way or the Bene Gesserit way?"

"Doesn't matter."

He laughed and started toward her. They sparred for several minutes. Farad'n, as usual, expending much more energy than Ghani, who patiently blocked every attack he launched at her.

Eventually, he held up his hand to stop. They were back in the room where he had found her five months earlier, in an isolated corner of the palace. They had begun meeting each day in that room to spar. This usually also included a great deal of time spent just talking. After some time, they began meeting twice a day, then three times. Eventually, Ghani realized, in their free time they had become nearly inseparable.

"Why is it," he asked, "that I am melting with sweat, and you look as comfortable as a cat in the cream?"

"Oh, well, there are several reasons for that," she answered, smiling at him in his exhaustion, "Firstly, you expend far too much energy telegraphing your attacks. Secondly, you aren't accustomed to this climate here yet, and I was raised here. Thirdly, you are much bigger than I and have more body heat to expend. And fourthly, only men sweat; ladies glow."

"Wait. Go back to the third one. I want to talk more about how you have been observing my body…heat," he replied playfully. Ghani's smile froze on her face as he looked at her. He had been subtly flirting with her for some weeks now, and she didn't really know what to do about it. She didn't really want him to stop, but she was afraid to let it continue. As she always did in these situations, Ghani broke the awkward moment with motion. She reached over to look at the clock.

"Oh! It's later than I thought. We had better hurry and change or we will be late for afternoon audience."

_Several_ minutes later, they were walking rapidly down the hallway toward the main chamber of the palace. As they hurried, Farad'n put his hand on her arm.

"Can you help me with these buttons?" she turned to him and quickly closed the clasps. In doing so, she noticed her naked hand.

"Oh, no! My ring! I must have left it in my dressing room," she spun to go back down the corridor.

"No, here, I have it." He took her left hand and splayed the fingers. As he slid the ring into place, he said "You actually left it up in the training room. Lucky I saw it, eh?"

Ghani couldn't answer. She was mesmerized watching him touch her fingers. It gave her butterflies.

They finally made it to the council room, where the other members of court stood in line preparing for the entrance procession.

"You are late," boomed a voice from the side of the room.

Leto stood in front of a window that let in the afternoon sun. The light created a halo around him that made him look as god-like as he professed to be. "Royalty is never late."

"Of course not, Brother," Ghani answered as she reached her place in the front of the line. "Royalty sets the clocks."

He grinned at her while walking in front of them to start the movement into the main audience chamber.

Farad'n lined up next to Irulan. She glanced up at her nephew. "Why do you look so sweaty?"

A smug smile was his only reply.


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**: At last, some plot development!

This audience was somewhat different from the previous ones that week. The Royal Ambassador from House Richese had made a pilgrimage to Arrakis to see the Emperor and offer tribute.

The young woman stood before the Emperor and his court with her head held high.

"In honor of the visit of our royal cousin," Leto droned on as Farad'n scribbled furiously, "we shall have a great feast tomorrow night."

Tanilla Richese looked quite pleased with herself.

"If that is all of the business for today, we will take our leave." Everyone stood and bowed as Leto led the way out of the room. When they reached a private ante-chamber, Ghani turned to her brother.

"A great feast in her honor, hmm…?"

"I had to make some gesture, she came all the way here. Besides, I feel like I never get to see you anymore."

"It's busy work running an Empire," she countered dryly.

"Yes. Come on, Ghani, it'll be fun. And I do find Tanilla Richese intriguing."

"Really? I find her transparent."

"And I find her in the hallway," this came from Farad'n who had just entered the room.

"Harq Al-Ada. How are you, sir?" asked Leto congenially.

"Well, thank you," he stepped forward, almost next to Ghani. "I was just wondering if you needed me for anything else this afternoon."

"Actually, I would like your opinion," Leto sat on the edge of a desk, "what do you think of Tanilla Richese?"

Farad'n stiffened. _Was this a trap?_ "I don't think anything of her. I hadn't even heard of her until this afternoon."

"She's up to no good," spat Ghani.

"As you can see, my paranoid sister believes there are assassins everywhere."

"It's always a good idea to be cautious," Farad'n soothed.

"No one would dare harm _me_," Leto said this with so much menace, Farad'n took it for what it was meant as: a warning to everyone, _especially_ him.

"Be careful, your majesty. Excessive pride will be your downfall," Ghani sounded equally as fierce.

"Anything else, sire?" Farrad'n asked, desperate to leave.

"No that's all, al-Ada. Good day." Leto bent his head to toward the paper in his hands.

"Good day. My lady," he said to Ghani, politely bowing his head. As Farad'n turned to leave, Leto lifted his face…

…and noticed how Farad'n and Ghani's eyes met; the long look that passed between them.

"If you'll excuse me…" Ghani passed by him and left through the door opposite the one Farad'n had just used.

Leto frowned. He was going to have to find out exactly _how_ his sister was spending her free time.


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's** **Note**: That chapter was just too short. Here comes another one…

The following day, as she was getting dressed for the feast, Ghani looked up to see Irulan walking through her doorway.

"Your majesty, may I speak with you?" Irulan bowed low.

Ghani sighed. Her stepmother had been raised in protocol; she couldn't give it up.

"Irulan, you changed my diapers, you don't have to stand on ceremony," Ghani said, after dismissing her maids.

"We have to keep up appearances, especially in front of the servants."

"I'm sure _the servants_ know exactly what's going on anyway."

"That's what I'm here to find out."

"Pardon?" Ghani looked at her sharply.

"Ghanima, since I am the person who changed your diapers, I expect you to answer me honestly…"

"I would never lie to you."

"Good…is my nephew in danger from you?"

"Irulan, what are you talking about?"

"Are you playing some sort of game with him?"

Ghani turned to stare at her. She fought valiantly to keep her face stoic. "Why would you think that I am playing games with him?"

"You both disappear for hours on end and when I finally do see either of you, you look sweaty and exhausted. But exhilarated, also. You're both of an age when young people begin to want to enjoy each other…physically…."

Ghani put her hand up. "Irulan, am I to surmise that you think I am sleeping with him?"

"Yes. That is exactly what I think."

"And that would put him in danger?"

"Of course," she glared at Ghani as though she had suddenly gone stupid.

"Why would he be in danger from that?"

Irulan sighed, loosing patience. "Because if you don't kill him after some sort of lovers' quarrel, Leto surely will out of jealousy."

"And why would Leto be jealous?"

"He is your _husband_," Irulan spat the word out, "and even if he wasn't, he never wanted to share you with anyone."

"You seem awfully concerned about your nephew," Ghani pointed out.

"I just don't want anyone innocent to be crushed between you and your brother."

Ghani sighed. She didn't want that either.

"He's safe from us, Irulan, so long as he follows the rules." She turned from her stepmother and finished dressing.

As he was ready for the banquet early, and Ghanima was still dressing, Farad'n wandered into the grand ballroom. The room was decked out in regal splendor; there were even flowers from the Shadout Mapes garden adorning the incredibly long table.

_Ghani would call this "a terrible decadence_," he thought as he fingered the petals.

He was actually quite enjoying some time alone. With his duties and all the hours he spent with Ghani, he had precious little time to be quiet and think. Walking the length of the table, he noticed that place settings assigned each guest a chair. Leto was at the head of the table, of course, with Ghani at his right. Tanilla Richese would be at his left. Farad'n would be seated next to her while some Imperial minister was beside Ghanima.

Without questioning his actions, he plucked up the Imperial minister's card and his own, and switched them.


	7. Chapter 6

God Emperor of Dune was in high spirits this evening. The emissary from House Richese was turning herself inside out to charm and entertain him. The Empress sat silently observing those around her with the court scribe at her right. The Holy Grandmother and the Lady Irulan were seated several spaces away, out of earshot of the antics at the head of the table.

As Tanilla Richese finished another amusing story, Leto chuckled. Then he turned to look at his sister. "All this eating has made me lethargic. Would you care to accompany me for a stroll?" Ghani demurely bowed her head and took the arm that was offered to her.

Following their royal example, other people around the table began to get up and walk around. Farad'n looked up and saw Tanilla Richese looking at him expectantly. He suppressed a sigh. _Ghani was right;_ _something was up with her._

"Are you feeling restless also, Lady Tanilla?" he asked, smiling at her with as much charm as he could muster. She beamed back at him.

"Yes, I do believe I am. I would very much love to see the garden from where all these beautiful flowers came."

"Well then, please allow me to give you a tour," he replied, rising. Courtly flirting was well within the realm of training he had received, but for some reason, tonight he just did not feel like making the effort. Too far in to back out now, he took her arm and led her through the doors to the courtyard.

Once outside, she turned to him. "I know who you are, my lord," she breathed in what he was sure she thought was a sultry voice.

"Well, you should, madam," he evaded, "I was introduced to you yesterday during your court appearance."

"I don't mean that mockery that you are living under," she spat. _Not a great deal of patience with this one._

"Pardon?"

"I know that you are Prince Farad'n, heir to House Corrino and hope for all the Imperium," she replied desperately, with a hand on his arm to force him to stop walking.

"Farad'n Corrino is no more," he replied quietly, "my name is Harq al-Ada now and I am the royal scribe."

"But you could be so much more!"

"I really don't understand what you are talking about."

"Don't be dense," she said quickly, "the fact that you live gives so many of us hope. You can defeat the tyrant that sits on the throne, that defiles the whole Universe with his behavior…marrying his own sister…"she looked away a moment in disgust, but hurried to continue, "If you were to make a move toward a coup, you would have the support of all the Great Houses!"

_Great Houses my ass_, he thought, _what power do they have?_

"How do you know what the Families will do?"

"There are many other planets in the Imperium, sire, places where people feel free to speak."

"What do they care? Leto will keep them rich."

"For now. But for how long? He proposes changes, frightening things. People don't like change."

"So this is the real reason you are here, to try to talk me into making a political move."

"Yes."

"And with all the support of the Great Houses, I would obviously be victorious and ascend the throne…with you at my side, no doubt."

She licked her lips. "If that is your wish." She stepped closer to him.

Farad'n took a deep breath. This was a difficult move to play. He could humor her, for now, to stay in her good graces, even though he had no desire to be Emperor. Or did he? He _could_ imagine himself in Leto's place, sitting on the Golden Lion Throne. But when he turned to see his Empress, he did not see Tanilla Richese….

…he saw Ghani.

That was the answer. He did want to be in Leto's place, but it was a choice between the throne and Ghanima. He could not have both.

And when Leto discovered the conspiracy, as he inevitably would, Farad'n would be killed, but not before he would have to see the look of betrayal in Ghani's eyes.

He glared at Tanilla, put his hands on her upper arms and pushed until she was forced to take a step back.

"Take your plots, and yourself, and leave Arrakis. Don't ever come here again." He turned on his heel and stalked away from her.

"You will be Emperor. It is your destiny, my lord!" she called after him, then, to herself, "whether you accept it, or not."

Meanwhile, Leto and Ghani walked along the balcony over the garden.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Ghani?" Leto asked.

"It's a lovely party, your majesty."

"Don't call me that."

"As you wish, your highness."

"Ghani…" he stopped walking. She sighed.

"Leto, what do you want me to say?"

"Say that you are actually glad to spend some time with me, for once. Tell me what you've been doing with yourself. I never see you. I _never_ get to talk to you. I miss you." He tugged on her pinkie finger as he had when they were little. The guilt got to her.

"Things can't be as they were before, Leto. You and I walk different paths now."

"I don't want things to change."

"You were the one who made the decision that they had to."

"I did what needed to be done," he replied angrily, voice changing subtly, becoming monstrous.

"And consequences are consequences," she shot back. He looked down and saw Harq al-Ada and Tanilla Richese wander into the garden below. It reminded him that he had a theory to test.

"The Lady Tanilla seems quite taken with our scribe," he said smoothly in an apparent change of subject.

"I'm sure she has a reason for it."

"Perhaps, but this may serve my ends in any case. I think a child of her and al-Ada would be a benefit to my breeding program."

"But I thought that…" she let slip, but quickly recovered herself, "if that is what you think is best."

Leto noticed her stumble and pressed on. "It might be even better if I married him off to her. That would settle everything nicely."

Ghani forced herself to breathe. "You must do what you think is best, of course. I am not feeling well, please excurse me."

She did not wait for his permission; instead, she turned her back to him and left the balcony.

Upon reaching her rooms, Ghani immediately began packing.

_I've been away from the desert too long_, she thought, _this place is suffocating me_.

_Oppressive splendor_.

As she hurried down the hall, she nearly crashed into her grandmother.

"Ghanima, where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Out to the seitches. I've been away from my people for too long."

She did not wait to hear the response. She did not look back to see Jessica's face. As she approached the door, she tightened her grip on the thumper. She could already feel the sand blowing onto her face.

**Chapter 7**

Farrad'n discovered a very short time later that his presence was _requested_ in the Emperor's private salon. Immediately. The Fedykin that escorted him there gave no hints as to the nature of the call, but Farrad'n didn't blame them. They probably didn't know anyway. He found Leto sitting on an ornate chair with a scowl screwed on his face.

"You wanted to see me, sire?" he asked pleasantly, hoping that he didn't appear as nervous as he felt. _He couldn't really be __**this**__ upset about a simple seating arrangement change, could he?_

"Where is my sister?" Leto barked in the strangest tone that Farrad'n had ever heard. It sounded almost like The Voice of the Bene Gesserit, but not exactly.

"I have no idea where she is. When last I saw her, she was with you on the balcony."

"Don't you _dare_ lie to me."

"I'm not," Farrad'n replied, feeling surprisingly calm, "I'm a terrible liar, therefore, I very rarely bother. I don't know where Ghanima is."

"I find that extremely difficult to believe."

Farrad'n was in the midst of shrugging, and praying, as he was sure that his life would be ended very shortly, when a voice rang out from the doorway.

"Don't badger your cousin, Leto. I am certain he doesn't know your sister's whereabouts," Jessica glared at her grandson in the same manner she did his father when he was a child. "I, however, know exactly where she is."

"Then enlighten us," Leto savagely replied. Jessica continued to glare at him until he had the decency to look embarrassed before she would continue.

"I saw Ghani rushing down the hallway as I walked to my rooms. She was dressed in Fremen robes and said that she was going out to the seitches. She also looked very upset. So tell me why, Leto, she would look thus?" Jessica arched one eyebrow.

Leto made a face, but answered. "I was baiting her and it _possibly_ upset her."

"Did she say which seitch she was going to?" Farrad'n asked Jessica, who shook her head in the negative. "It was probably Tabr. I'll throw some things together and go get her."

"Wait just one minute, al-Ada!" Leto's outburst forced him to stop his trip toward the door. "Who says you will be the one to go after her?"

"Well you can't very well go," he replied.

"And why not?"

"Who will hold audiences if both you _and_ Ghanima are not in Arrakeen? Besides, she is mad at _you_, she'll need some calming down before she's ready to come home." This line of reasoning shocked Leto. _Since when did al-Ada know Ghani so well?_ Farrad'n turned his back once again and hurried toward his rooms. After he left, Jessica stared at Leto.

"I'm surprised you let him go so easily. You looked ready to kill him."

"A part of me wanted to. But I can't. This thing between them, it's my fault. How can I blame either of them for walking down a path that I forced them on?"

"That's very merciful."

"Yes," Leto agreed forlornly, "and it's killing me."

**Chapter 8**

Ghani pressed some sand between her toes. She loved the grainy feel of it. She took a deep breath, wishing to inhale the whole desert into her lungs. The sand behind her shifted. She picked up her head.

"How many times do you have to be told not to sit with your back to the door?" Farrad'n asked.

"I'm outside, my back would be exposed to danger no matter where I face." She stood and turned to face him. "What happened to you?" She stepped closer to him and put her hand lightly on his chin to move his face to the side. Near his eye were bloody scrapes that could only have been caused by sand. She moved her hand gently over them.

"The worm and I had a transportation dispute. I wasn't quite able to stick the dismount this time," he joked, trying not to focus on the fact that she was _actually_ touching him for the first time; at least, for the first time without a weapon clutched in the other hand. She pulled her hand away and placed it angrily on her hip.

"You could have been killed, you realize?"

"Yes, but worms are still the best mode of transportation, and I had done it before."

"By yourself?" He blushed.

"Not completely. When I was out here learning from Stilgar, there were usually other people around when I rode." She made a strangely happy face, but said nothing. Instead, she turned toward the door in the stone wall that led into the seitch.

"So, did Leto


	8. Chapter 7

Farad'n discovered a very short time later that his presence was _requested_ in the Emperor's private salon. Immediately. The Fedaykin that escorted him there gave no hints as to the nature of the call, but Farad'n didn't blame them. They probably didn't know anyway. He found Leto sitting on an ornate chair with a scowl screwed on his face.

"You wanted to see me, sire?" he asked pleasantly, hoping that he didn't appear as nervous as he felt. _He couldn't really be __**this**__ upset about a simple seating arrangement change, could he?_

"Where is my sister?" Leto barked in the strangest tone that Farad'n had ever heard. It sounded almost like The Voice of the Bene Gesserit, but not exactly.

"I have no idea where she is. When last I saw her, she was with you on the balcony."

"Don't you _dare_ lie to me."

"I'm not," Farad'n replied, feeling surprisingly calm, "I'm a terrible liar, therefore, I very rarely bother. I don't know where Ghanima is."

"I find that extremely difficult to believe."

Farad'n was in the midst of shrugging, and praying, as he was sure that his life would be ended very shortly, when a voice rang out from the doorway.

"Don't badger your cousin, Leto. I am certain he doesn't know your sister's whereabouts," Jessica glared at her grandson in the same manner she did his father when he was a child. "I, however, know exactly where she is."

"Then enlighten us," Leto savagely replied. Jessica continued to glare at him until he had the decency to look embarrassed before she would continue.

"I saw Ghani rushing down the hallway as I walked to my rooms. She was dressed in Fremen robes and said that she was going out to the seitches. She also looked very upset. So tell me why, Leto, she would look thus?" Jessica arched one eyebrow.

Leto made a face, but answered. "I was baiting her and it _possibly_ upset her."

"Did she say which seitch she was going to?" Farad'n asked Jessica, who shook her head in the negative. "It was probably Tabr. I'll throw some things together and go get her."

"Wait just one minute, al-Ada!" Leto's outburst forced him to stop his trip toward the door. "Who says you will be the one to go after her?"

"Well you can't very well go," he replied.

"And why not?"

"Who will hold audiences if both you _and_ Ghanima are not in Arrakeen? Besides, she is mad at _you_, she'll need some calming down before she's ready to come home." This line of reasoning shocked Leto. _Since when did al-Ada know Ghani so well?_ Farad'n turned his back once again and hurried toward his rooms. After he left, Jessica stared at Leto.

"I'm surprised you let him go so easily. You looked ready to kill him."

"A part of me wanted to. But I can't. This thing between them, it's my fault. How can I blame either of them for walking down a path that I forced them on?"

"That's very merciful."

"Yes," Leto agreed forlornly, "and it's killing me."


	9. Chapter 8

Ghani pressed some sand between her toes. She loved the grainy feel of it. She took a deep breath, wishing to inhale the whole desert into her lungs. The sand behind her shifted. She picked up her head.

"How many times do you have to be told not to sit with your back to the door?" Farad'n asked.

"I'm outside, my back would be exposed to danger no matter where I face." She stood and turned to face him. "What happened to you?" She stepped closer to him and put her hand lightly on his chin to move his face to the side. Near his eye were bloody scrapes that could only have been caused by sand. She moved her hand gently over them.

"The worm and I had a transportation dispute. I wasn't quite able to stick the dismount this time," he joked, trying not to focus on the fact that she was _actually_ touching him for the first time; at least, for the first time without a weapon clutched in the other hand. She pulled her hand away and placed it angrily on her hip.

"You could have been killed, you realize?"

"Yes, but worms are still the best mode of transportation, and I had done it before."

"By yourself?" He blushed.

"Not completely. When I was out here learning from Stilgar, there were usually other people around when I rode." She made a strangely happy face, but said nothing. Instead, she turned toward the door in the stone wall that led into the seitch.

"So, did Leto send you after me?"

"I volunteered."

"That was foolish of you. I am sure that Lady Richese is missing you already." _That __**couldn't**__ be jealousy he heard in her voice, could it?_

"With any luck, Tanilla Richese is _already_ aboard a heighliner, making her way back to wherever she comes from." He sent a sideward glance at Ghani. As usual, she showed no reaction to his words.

"What a shame," she said neutrally. Then she smiled, "You are just in time."

"In time for what?" he stopped as she kept walking.

"The seitch orgy," she replied over her shoulder. He couldn't move.

"I'm sorry, did you just say _orgy_?"

Farad'n stood off to the side, needing the wall to hold him up. The super potent spice dosage he had eaten as part of the ritual was starting to affect him very strangely, despite his previous usage of the drug. The drums being played seemed to be keeping time with his heartbeat. Ghanima was ten feet away from him, dancing around in the center of the chamber with her Fremen sisters. She gyrated her body to the sound of the drums, making him think that she could hear his heart, that they were part of one body.

_**Something**__ is going to happen,_ his brain said, _something you won't be able to walk away from._

_I __**want**__ it to happen,_ he told his condescending brain, _let it come._

_It will be painful at times, I hope you realize_, reasoned the brain.

_Yes, but worth it,_ he concluded.

…_Yes_, the brain agreed.

_Ghanima_, he felt the word roll around in his mind like dye spilled in water, saturating everything. She looked over at him in that moment, as though she had heard his thoughts. Or maybe he _had_ actually called to her. She seemingly floated over to him.

"Are you alright?" he heard her ask lustily.

"I don't know." He didn't know anything at the moment except that she was smiling at him.

"I think maybe you have had too much excitement for one night, young prince. Time for bed." She took his arm and began pulling him down the corridor away from the main body of people. As they walked along, Farad'n could see through doorways that individuals had coupled off and glow-globes were being put out all through the seitch. Finally Ghani stopped at the entrance of another small room.

"You can sleep in here," she said preparing to leave him.

"No," he replied sluggishly.

"What's the matter?" He reached up and touched her hair. He tried to focus his eyes on hers as best he could.

"Stay with me."

"No."

"Shhh…."he said, moving his hand to the back of her head to press her close to him. He laid his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. She sighed.

"If I go in there with you, will you promise to go to sleep?" she looked up at him from her awkward position.

"Sleep…" he could only seem to spit out one word at a time, and even that was difficult. Ghani took a deep breath.

"Alright," she whispered softly, a kiss on the wind. She parted the curtain in the doorway and helped him stumble inside. Their departure went unnoticed by all but one person. As he saw them move into the doorway, Stilgar turned around, and went back into the main chamber, smiling.

When Ghani woke, she was very uncomfortable. Soon she realized that her discomfort resulted from the fact that she was still wearing her rather binding clothing from the night before. However, it wasn't all bad. For some reason, she felt very warm and protected. This made no sense until she noticed the hand in front of her face that was obviously not her own. She recognized the scar slightly above the knuckle on the thumb.

As though he knew that she was thinking about him, Farad'n took a deep breath. His expanding chest pushed against her back. _Obviously still asleep_, she mused. Not really wanting to move, but still uncomfortable, Ghani snuggled closer to him, easing some of her aching muscles. Liking the feel of him next to her, she wiggled again.

"Ghanima, stop that," he said quietly. She froze. "You can relax," he chuckled, "just stop moving, please."

"How long have you been awake?" she whispered.

"I'm not, really, but your bumping into me makes me semi-conscious." She pulled away from him.

"I've got to go," she said as she slid off the bed in a hurry.

"What?" he partially sat up and looked at her. He looked excruciatingly adorable with his hair tousled and a groggy expression on his face.

"I am going to my own room," she snapped, fleeing. Farad'n flopped back down on the bed after she left, still too sleepy to understand any of it.


	10. Chapter 9

Upon returning the next day to Arrakeen, Ghani did her best to avoid both Farad'n and her brother. She just wanted to be away from them for awhile. She did not appear in audiences and had the terrified Irulan give her excuses to an ever-more frustrated Leto. Each day that Irulan spoke to her step-son, Farad'n waited, hoping that Ghani would also have sent a message for him. But each day he was disappointed.

He finally found her one afternoon in the palace library.

"Is this another example of a time when I'm not supposed to find you?" he half-heartedly joked. She made no response. _Ahh, let's try the direct approach._

"Why have you been avoiding me?" he stared down at her hard when he sensed that she was going to try to be evasive. She sighed when she recognized the look in his eye.

"I've wanted some time by myself" she answered honestly.

"You could have just told me," he said, sounding hurt.

"You would have been hurt either way, and it breaks my heart to see that look on your face." He pulled his frown in and took a deep breath.

"May I sit?" he asked, regarding the chair across the table from her. She nodded. "I've actually needed to talk to you."

"Are you alright?" she sounded genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine."

"I was a little worried about you, you know. The spice seemed to hit you pretty hard." He smiled and looked ruefully at the ceiling.

"I definitely wasn't ready for it." She smiled at him.

"It won't be as bad next time" she replied. _Next time_, he thought.

"I certainly hope not. In any case, I wanted to talk to you about something. Before we left Seitch Tabr, Stilgar gave me these." He placed five dull metal rings on the table in front of her. "I'd like you to have them." He smiled into her face. Ghani stared at the water rings before her. From the way her hands were placed, both they and her "wedding" ring were within her field of vision. She felt her breathing quicken.

"Do you know what these are?" she asked.

"Water rings. They represent my water burden to the tribe. Apparently, having successfully ridden a worm on my own, I am now considered a man among the Fremen. All adults know how much their water is worth, and it is represented in these rings."

"Yes, but why are you giving them to _me_?" asked Ghani a trifle desperately.

"Stilgar told me that it's tradition to give your water rings to the person you respect the most." _That wasn't exactly what he had said, but it was close enough._ "I respect you more than anyone I think I have ever met, so it seemed fitting that you should hold them for me."

"That's all he told you?" Ghani asked suspiciously.

"Yes. Why? Is there more?"

"No, not necessarily," Ghani lied. She didn't want to tell him the real symbolism. She wouldn't be able to stand the look of shock and anger on his face. She didn't think her heart could handle it. When she was honest with herself, she realized that she _did_ want to wear his water rings. He may not know all that that implied, but she did, and she was actually very excited about it.

She knew that this was going through a door that would close behind her; there would be no going back. The Fremen, AND Leto, would see them and know. But wasn't this basically what Leto had wanted? Their marriage wasn't real, and he did want her to reproduce with Farad'n, so…

And the Fremen seemed to like him well enough. At least they were more at ease with him than they were with Leto….

She placed her hand over one of the rings and gripped it tightly. The cool metal felt scratchy in her palm. "I will hold them for you, Farad'n, and I will wear them for all to see," she said to him solemnly, completing the Fremen ritual. Oddly, Farad'n didn't feel able to speak. Ghanima took down some her hair and began intricately braiding the rings into her locks. Farrad'n rose to leave.

"Wait!" she said, putting a hand on his arm to stop him, "you have to watch this part." He stood there looking at her as she finished her task. After she was done, she stood and they left the library together silently.

Despite being newly reunited, Ghani and Farad'n did not have very long to ponder the affair that had taken place in the library. Within hours, Farad'n was accompanying the Emperor out onto the sands to inspect some spice production facilities. Like she did the first time he was absent, Ghanima spent her days meditating, sparring, and holding Imperial audiences in her brother's stead.

She also, secretly, spent a good deal of time in Farrad'n's rooms, preparing for when he would return.

It took two weeks before the two young men returned to the fortress. Unlike his traveling companion, Farad'n was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to go to his room and lie down. Well, maybe not _nothing_ more, but that would do for now.

He stumbled down the hall and entered his softly lit bedroom. Without preamble, he threw his traveling satchel to the ground and flopped down on his stomach on the bed, without removing his stillsuit or cape. He was nearly asleep when a heavenly scent reached his nose.

_Ooh, coffee_, he thought.

"Thank you very much," he told the unknown servant, "that smells wonderful. I would appreciate it if you would just leave the tray on the dresser." He listened to the sound of the tray being put down and of the person moving away. He was just letting himself fall asleep when he felt hands on his legs. He shot up and moved to the end of the bed to start yelling at…..

…_Ghani_?

"Ghanima, what are you doing in here?" he asked a trifle hysterically as he pulled his cloak around him.

"I heard that you were home so I thought to bring you some coffee. It's very good." She moved closer to him and bent towards his legs again. "You shouldn't sleep in your stillsuit if you can help it," she continued, working the complicated clasps on his boot, "it's very uncomfortable." He pushed her hands away and looked at her as though she had grown another eye.

"Ghani, I don't understand this sudden interest in my well being."

"You asked me to wear your water rings, didn't you?"

"Yes," he looked at her, trying to figure her out.

"Well, part of what goes along with that is making sure that you are taken care of," she partially lied.

_She and Stilgar were not telling me everything regarding the symbolism behind the rings_, he realized.

"So now you are going to be bringing me drinks and removing my boots?"

"And whatever else you require." She let that hang, hoping he would understand without her having to go through the embarrassing explanation of what _that_ meant.

He knew what she meant. Her expression said everything. He decided to put it to the test.

"And if I said that I _required_ your presence in my room this night and every night, you would be forced to comply?" She swallowed, a little afraid now. He had caught on to what she was saying a little _too_ quickly. _Be careful what you wish for…_

"I would have to stay," she replied, as evenly as she could. He smiled.

"And….if I required you to kiss me?" Immediately she sensed that he was teasing her.

"Oh, now you're just mocking me!" she snapped, effectively breaking the mood. He laughed.

"Who says I'm mocking you?" He flirted, laying down on his side, still facing her, with his head propped up on one hand. "I would very much like you to kiss me." She blushed.

"Oh, really? Then why haven't _you_ ever tried to kiss _me_?" she returned.

"Because I'm afraid you would stab me if I did," he answered honestly, and laughed. She found herself laughing as well as she looked down at him. He turned serious, but kept smiling. "So when are you going to tell me what giving you my water rings _really_ signifies?"

"I'm afraid that you aren't going to like it when you hear it."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," he baited. She stood and walked away from the bed, keeping her back to him.

"According to Fremen tradition, it means that we are, basically, married," she said as quickly as possible, like taking off a bandage. He sat up on the edge of the bed and just looked at her.

"And you knew this when I asked you to wear them?"

"Yes," still she stood facing away from him.

"And you took them anyway?"

"Yes."

"And you did all this _knowing_ that you are married to Leto?" he was agitated now.

"Yes."

She finally turned to face him. "Fremen have always played by their own rules. My marriage to Leto is simply a legal proceeding, something on paper. You know that, you've always known it." She pushed some hair out of her face. "And if you ever decide that you want to marry some one else, it isn't really an issue. Fremen ceremonies aren't legally binding. And they allow polygamy. No one would ever even need know."

"But, Ghani, I would know!" She turned away from him, so that he would not see that her eyes were leaking. _Spending water like this…_

"That's fine," she replied, trying to sound as calm as possible, "Fremen divorce rituals are as simple as their marriage ceremonies." He could feel that she was crying, even though he couldn't see her. He felt his legs stand him up.

"Ghani, that's not the point." He walked over and stood behind her, looking out at the city over the top of her head. "Why did you accept them if you knew what all this meant?"

"Because," she answered softly, "I wanted to wear them."

He closed his eyes and swallowed. _So this was __**it, **__the__** something **__his brain had warned him of at the orgy_. He put his hand lightly on her shoulder and turned her around. When she was facing him, he pulled her into his arms. With her head on his chest, she could hear his heartbeat, soothing her. They stood there, silently, for a few moments.

"What do we do when Leto finds out about this?" he whispered to her. She took a deep breath.

"Well, I don't think he has seen me with them in my hair, so after I give them back to you…."

"I didn't say I wanted them back," he interrupted. She pushed back from him, to be able to look him in the face.

"But you understand what that means, Farrad'n? In the eyes of all the Fremen on Dune, we would be married."

"Ghani, I thought I was coming here to marry you in the first place," he smiled at her, "this is just less conventional than I thought." She pulled herself back up against him, so that he wouldn't see the tremendous smile on her face.

"This will take some getting used to," she said after some thought, feeling silly, "where will we sleep?"

"And where will we _not_ sleep?" he teased her.

"Oh." He swore he could feel her blush. "I hadn't really thought of that."

"Well, I'll make it easy on you. For now, we will sleep here, in my room. And we'll deal with everything else later."

"And why will we be sleeping in your room?" she asked, smiling up at him.

"Because, you said it yourself, it's the last place anyone would look for you."


	11. Chapter 10

The dawn light fell into the room and across Farad'n's eyes. He slowly opened them. Over the mound of auburn hair on his chest, he could see the early morning sun of Dune breaking over the basin wall a mile away from the palace. He took a deep breath, and felt the body beside him stir. The mound of hair now rose and completely blocked his vision. Ghani turned to look at him.

"Good morning," she said sleepily, stretching out her shoulders and smiling at him in that groggy way that he found absolutely adorable.

"Good morning," he replied back. He put his hands on either side of her face and pulled her in closer. Just as he was about to kiss her, they heard a voice from beyond the door.

"Your majesty, are you awake? The Emperor is calling for you…" Farad'n and Ghani groaned. This was happening with ever increasing frequency lately. Although they had been "married" for several weeks now, physical intimacy continued to elude them. Either they were too exhausted from the day's activities, or separated, or being interrupted. It was getting very tiresome.

"Majesty?"

"Yes, yes, I am on my way…" replied an angry Ghani as she flopped off the bed and pulled her boots on.

"Don't be mad at her," soothed Farad'n, ever the diplomat, "it's not her fault."

"I know," snapped Ghani, "it's Leto's fault." She sighed. "I guess we will have to pick this up again at a later time." She gave him a sly smile.

"I guess so," he flirted back. As she walked passed him, he took her arm, pulled her near, and kissed her quickly on the lips. Her stunned eyes stared back at him. "To hold me over," he replied. She smiled at him and left the room.

Leto's interruption was warranted, as it turned out. There had been some grumbling on different planets about the Emperor's lack of concern for the well-being of the entire Imperium. Knowing that his sister was much better equipped to strategize a solution to this problem, he had summoned her as soon as he had awakened.

He knew that she and Farad'n had been sharing a bed. He knew that, according to Fremen tradition, she and the Royal Scribe were married. He knew, in his heart, that the two of them getting involved romantically was inevitable. He knew that he was the one who had first suggested the thing in the first place.

He knew all this.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

So while he didn't overtly try to throw obstacles in their path, he was a little more willing than necessary to interrupt them or call one away from the other at inopportune times.

_Well, inopportune for them, anyway_.

And while he meddled, he knew that it wouldn't make a difference. His importance in his sister's life had been dwindling for some time now.

And very soon, he knew, he would be surpassed completely.

It had been a long day. Leto had had Ghani running circles in her head since nearly dawn. The public audiences seemed unending and he had finally instituted his "Senate Reorganization" plan, which basically meant removing significant amounts of power from the representatives of the Great Families and other groups and delivering them safely into Leto's already full hands. Ghani never understood why people suddenly believed she was wonderfully diplomatic and could act as negotiator. But in a way it made sense. Only she and Jessica were brave enough to call Leto to the carpet for his actions. No wonder the nervous politicians were continually seeking her out.

She had also been given higher status within the Fremen communities. Many Fremen had felt betrayed by what Paul had done and what Leto proposed doing. Making themselves into Messiahs and Gods. They were changing the face of Arrakis while a conservative wind was sweeping through the seitches. Ghanima, on the other hand, was now a respectably married woman. Her husband, though an offworlder, had proven himself to be friendly and respectful of their way of life. Hadn't he even spent a month with Stilgar learning how to survive the Fremen way?

Ghani stood alone in the sparring room, staring at the window as the sun went down over the far basin wall. She loved this time of day, as the harsh and unforgiving sun left to be replaced by the cool and inviting moon. It was a metaphor for her life. As darkness fell, the mask of Ghanima Atreides, Empress of the Imperium, slipped away. All that remained under the light of the silvery moon was Ghani Corrino, Fremen woman, Fremen wife, and just another human being.

As the lights made rainbows in her eyes as her ears pricked up. A sound in the hallway. Footfalls. She smiled as she recognized the pattern. _Farad'n._

She waited for him to enter without turning. "It never ceases to surprise me that you always seem to be able to find where I am." She turned and gave him a small, saucy grin. He returned the smile and approached her.

"If you didn't want me to find you, so you should stop being so predictable," he responded before leaning in to kiss her.

"I wasn't always this predictable," she replied.

"Yes, but you are a boring, old married woman now, so it goes with the territory."

"Old!" she gave him a nasty look which he only smiled at.

"Well, look at it this way. I'm older than you are, so in the scheme of things I'm positively ancient," he sobered as he looked into her eyes and ran his hands down her arms, "you look worn out."

"It's been a long day," she allowed.

"You could say that. I was in audiences with you. I thought you were going to throw your crysknife at that Ixian Ambassador."

"Hmm…at least that would have made things more interesting. I really don't think I'm cut out for this type of work. I have too much of a temper to be a negotiator."

"Yes, that's true," he replied as he pulled her away from the window and sat them down of the cool marble floor. He began massaging her shoulders. "It's not in your nature to be patient with people who are so false. But I've never heard of any Fremen to shy away from a challenge."

"Oh, that's not fair," she said as she stretched out her back under his ministrations.

"When did I ever say I was going to play fair?" he smiled at the back of her head and pressed into her muscles a little harder.

"I don't know what to do."

"Not many people would. What are the pieces you have to work with?"

"Well, many of the ambassadors and senators are up in arms over the reorganization, as any one with half a brain should be. They think that Leto doesn't care about what happens on the other planets, which is mostly true. Leto _doesn't_ care, unless what happens interferes with what he wants. I am worried that they will erupt into civil war, and I don't think any of us are ready for that. There's no way to keep everyone happy, and it's so easy to make everyone unhappy to the point of aggression. And then there are the Fremen, who look at Leto with almost outright hatred."

"Politics is a slippery surface to try to walk on," he said after a few moments of silence. Ghani straightened her back and his hands fell away. She turned to look at him with a piercing glance.

"What are you thinking?" she asked directly.

"That there is still a knot in your shoulders the size of Shai Halud, turn back around."

"No," she tilted her head to the side and studied him, "if you were in my place, what would you do?" Farad'n held her eyes but swallowed hard.

"I'm just an observer, Ghani, I don't make any decisions."

"You're 'just an observer' because of a twist of fate. That doesn't change the fact that you were taught how to play politic from the cradle. In this situation, what would Farad'n Corrino do?" Farad'n didn't like where this conversation was going. _It smelled like a trap._

In the few months that they had been romantically involved, Farad'n had come to trust Ghani. For the most part. However, there were places in her, he knew, that went very deep; places that he would probably never touch. And he wasn't sure, if push came to shove, who she would choose: Leto or him. He didn't like thinking about it too much.

What if this were some loyalty test that she and Leto had concocted? How could he answer without getting a knife stabbed in his back?

She was still studying him, head tilted to the side and waiting for an answer. He finally took a deep breath and said, "Farad'n Corrino would never get himself into this position. If he were in charge and wanted to make drastic changes, he would do them bit by bit, slowly, letting people become used to things before they realized just how much of their power was gone."

"Ok," she answered turning her body around so she could fully face him, "but what if, as Emperor, you had miscalculated and moved too quickly, what should your wife, Ghani Corrino, do to salve the wounds?"

_Oh, now who wasn't playing fair!_ Being stabbed in the back was the least of his worries when he had to sit here and look at her while she plunged a knife in his heart. But she looked at him with such an innocent, trusting expression on her face. He didn't think it was all an act, and he didn't want to think that, so he told himself it wasn't.

"Well, since the ambassadors and senators think that their Emperor doesn't care about what happens on the other planets, then perhaps a good will tour to some of them is needed."

"A 'good will tour'?"

"Yes, the Empress could go and visit what's left of the Great Families at their homes, listen to their concerns, and reassure them that the Emperor has everyone's best interest at heart. He is just consolidating power right now in preparation for a change in government. Once the change has occurred and everything has settled down, things will go back to the way they were."

"So tell them that, even though we both know it's a lie."

"They probably know that too, but they won't call you out on it. It would be considered too rude."

"And Leto would be unable to make the visits himself because already the moisture rich atmospheres on the other planets would kill him."

_Back to Leto again._ "But don't tell them that. That's ammunition. Tell them that he is unable to leave the seat of power currently because of all the work still to be done."

"But what about the Fremen? They might be upset if I just up and leave all of a sudden."

"Go visit Stil at Seitch Tabr. Tell them that you are only leaving Arrakis for a short period to keep things calm. Tell them that you plan to return to the seitches immediately upon your return to recuperate from your trip. Also, ask if they want you to bring back any 'exotic' wares from other places. You should bring them something back, anyway, but asking what specifically they want is a good idea too."

She was very still for a few minutes as she worried her lip and thought. Then, very quietly, she asked, "Would you go with me?" He sighed.

"If you wish."

Then she launched herself at him and threw her arms around his neck to hug him close. "My husband, the political genius," she whispered, then kissed his cheek.

Farad'n closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her. There were times when he was almost sure that she loved him.


	12. Chapter 11

"And these are?" Farrad'n was trying very hard not to be intimidated by the two men standing before him. Two muscular, attractive young men who had been brought by his attractive, liberal-minded wife to the room that he had begun to consider their private sanctuary.

"Your new bodyguards," Ghani replied, not really looking at him, but continuing to mentally size up the recruits that Stilgar had hand picked and trained for this task.

"What does a court scribe need with bodyguards?"

"You're much more than a court scribe," Ghani finally turned to look at him, "I would feel more comfortable while we're traveling if there are guards for you, specifically."

"What about the army of Sardukar that Leto is sending with us?"

"That's just for show." _And_, she thought to herself, _I don't completely trust them_.

She didn't want to give voice to the worry. If she said the words aloud, it made them truer somehow. Everything about this trip made her nervous. Travel was dangerous, particularly since she had never been to any of the places where they were going. It could be so easy for an "accident" to take place, and she knew exactly who the victim would be.

Farrad'n continued to look at her, unconvinced.

"They've been selected and trained by Stilgar himself. I don't trust anyone more than him."

That detail made him breathe a little easier. Stilgar liked him, he thought. He didn't have any reason to want to kill him at least, making him an ally in Farrad'n's opinion. He had few enough of those as it was these days.

"Do they have names, or am I supposed to just call them 1 and 2?" he was a little put off by how quiet they were, never once moving.

Ghani smirked as she came to stand beside her husband. "The one of the left is Ibin Scamander. The one on the right is Tez Molochi. They are your body guards, so they will only take orders from you."

"Wonderful," Farrad'n was frowning again, "looks like we will have to tell the steward to add two more."

She understood on the intellectual level that Farrad'n might be irritated by the supposed slight to his ability to take care of himself, and, by extension, his manhood. But she wasn't willing to let his pride leave them with holes in their safety protocols. Why was he complaining so much? If he had actually been made Emperor, or even if he had just been her legal husband, he would have had body guards. He had had them his entire life, up until relocating to Dune.

He had become complacent, she realized. The isolation of the palace or the seitches made him forget that he was still recognized throughout the Imperium. Farrad'n was enjoying being a Fremen so much that he forgot he was the male head of House Corrino.

After two months of planning, and endless hours pouring over itineraries, reading travelogues, visiting doctors, studying Imperial protocol, and reviewing travelers' lists, Ghani had nearly convinced herself that this "good will tour" was never going to happen. The morning of her departure, she awoke at dawn. Wanting a few moments to herself, she eased out from under Farrad'n's arm and made her way to the Shadout Mapes Garden.

It continued to grow in size with each progressive season. She wondered what the Shadout Mapes herself would have thought of it. A flicker of movement, of early morning light being reflected, caught her eye.

"Leaving so soon? I thought you would be on hand to say goodbye."

Leto smiled at her, "just returning, actually. I had to soak up as much time in the desert as possible before you left, since I'll be stuck here until you return." He sat beside her on a rock.

"Are you afraid?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Neither of us have ever been off-world. Our mother never even left Arrakis, and neither did our father once he came here. These other places…I have memories of them, but they give me no comfort since they aren't my own memories."

Leto reached forward and squeezed her hand. "It's right that you are doing this. It was a good idea. It will settle everything, and there will be peace, at least for a time. Our station demands sacrifice."

"Oh don't quote Irulan's claptrap to me, Leto! I really don't want to hear it. I don't care about duty and responsibility. I'm Fremen. I belong on Arrakis. What was I thinking, saying I would leave?"

"Where's the brave Fremen sister I know?"

"She's hiding under her bed." He chuckled at Ghani's pout as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're going. I suggest you accept that fact. You will do what you have been assigned to do, and when you are done you will return. You will still be Fremen when you get back."

"But not the same kind of Fremen."

He didn't respond.

"Do you remember, when we were younger? The assassins? So many of them were Fremen who had left Dune to go fight in our father's name on other worlds. They came back different. They weren't really Fremen anymore."

"Change is a part of life, Ghani. If you were really so conservative, you wouldn't be consorting with an off-worlder."

"Don't you drag him into this. Farrad'n acts more like a native than some of us who were born here."

They stared at each other. Leto understood Ghanima's passive jibe.

"I don't want to fight with you, not today," he sighed.

"Then why do you insist on aggravating me?"

"I don't know you anymore, Ghani. I don't know where the landmines are in conversation with you."

Now it was her turn to not respond.

"I'll miss you," she said, trying to hold the tears back. Why did she spend so much time crying lately? How had she not flooded the desert by this point?

"I'll miss you, too. But I am confident that you will succeed in smoothing over ruffled feathers."

"I'll do my best." She moved forward and embraced him, feeling for the first time, how his skin was changing. There was a rough texture under her fingertips now that was nothing like her own. Scaly and sharp at some points. He really was transforming into something else. Placing a hand on either side of his face, she repositioned him so that she was looking him in the eye. "Don't change too much while I'm gone."

"Don't be gone too long."

The thopter ride to the heighliner was fine, she had been aboard thopters before. It was the sight of the massive ship and the feeling of confinement she faced upon boarding that had her forcing herself to breathe and counting backwards from one hundred.

Ghani clutched the armrests of her seat and started counting again.

Sometimes, it was a bad thing to be well informed. In preparation for the tour, she had studied some treatises on space travel. She understood the concepts and technology behind it. The Navigators, products of forced evolution, had the mental power to fold space when under the influence of the Spice. For all intents and purposes, travel off-world was nearly instantaneous.

As much as she was well versed in the technology, she was still Fremen, a member of a people who cloaked themselves in tradition and superstition. Did forced evolution create abominations? She knew that it had in her own family, in herself. The Spice was not a resource to be trifled with. Being pre-born, she had limitless abilities that her peers did not, but those same abilities came with a price. They had the power to drive a person mad if they weren't careful, like they had to her aunt, Alia.

Folding space; the very concept made her feel claustrophobic. The entire weight of the universe would be pressing down upon them.

Movement in the cabin distracted her from her panic as Farrad'n took his seat beside her, but slightly behind her on her left. Irulan and Jessica were seated behind and to the right. The rest of the cabin was filled with security, including Farrad'n's new bodyguards. Suddenly she felt a warm, calming sensation in the form of Farrad'n's hand resting on her upper arm. She inhaled again deeply and began contemplating her husband's recent behavior.

Almost immediately upon entering the thopter to begin their trip, Farrad'n had seemed like a different person. He was more confident, answering questions and giving orders that in many ways should probably have been Ghani's responsibility. It was as though he knew his wife was a blink away from outright panic and was doing what he could to prevent it. So much in their lives depended on appearances, the Empress HAD to appear to be perfectly calm and in control at all times.

But it was more than that, she realized as she subtly turned to look at him. This was the life that he had been born to, and he was leaving a world in which he had had an awkward start at best. It had taken him so long to become accustomed to living on Arrakis, not to mention adjusting again when their relationship had blossomed. Add to this mixture the poison of always being cautious, never knowing for sure if death at the hands of one of those closest to you was in your immediate future.

He didn't trust Leto, but that was good, neither did she, not completely.

He didn't completely trust the Fremen, Stilgar included, but he did feel more comfortable around them in the seitches than he did in the city.

Nor did he completely trust her, a fact which, while slightly disconcerting since her feelings grew for him hourly, made her proud. A man who didn't allow himself to get swept up into romance was one she could trust.

And that was what he was now, as he sat beside her, a man. She was seeing him through new eyes.

When Farrad'n had first come to Dune, he was still very much a child, and a self-conscious one at that.

Now he wore adulthood like a well-loved shoe, slipping into a role that he had been trained to from the cradle. She would be leaning on him so much in the coming days and perhaps for the first time, she was confident that he wouldn't let her down.

Meeting his eye, she gave him a small smile, which he returned covertly.

Steeling herself for travel as the Navigator's voice came on the intercom, she at last felt that everything would be alright.


End file.
